Importance of Salat and its Effects.
The Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) advised his followers that offering the required prayers at their proper times is especially pleasing to Allah. Some sayings of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) concerning prayer are:
1. Prayer is the essence of worship.
2. Prayer averts misfortune.
3. Beg of Allah all that you stand in need of, even the salt you need or the shoelace that has snapped.
4. He who is desires that Allah should accept his prayers when is distressed and hard-pressed, should pray constantly when he is at ease.
Allah wants the believers to keep their minds pure and clean, so that they worship Him fully. A Muslim may not offer prayers (salaat) when he is not in full possession of his senses, even if that is caused by excessive emotion or a state of sleep. Certainly, a mind that is intoxicated is not able to focus on Allah.
Finally, it is important to note that drugs and alcohol are used as a means of escape from overwhelming difficulties and responsibilities. The attitude of one who has truly embraced the teachings of Islam cannot be compatible with this state of despair. A true Muslim places his reliance on Allah for the relief of hardship. When the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) proclaimed Allah's commandment concerning intoxicants, his followers broke their pots and jugs of wine until the streets flowed with it. This is the example for the new convert to Islam. Some hadith of the Holy Prophet about intoxicants are:
1. If a large amount of anything causes intoxication, (even) a small amount of it is forbidden.
2. An undutiful son, a gambler, one who casts up what he is given, and one who is addicted to wine will not enter paradise.
3. Tariq bin Suwaid asked the Holy Prophet about wine and he forbade him. When he told him that he used it only as medicine, the Holy Prophet replied, "It is not a medicine, but is a disease."...